


temple of time

by orphan_account



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Crisis of Faith, Fictional Religion & Theology, Gen, Goddesses, Light Angst, Religion, Temple of Time, Zelda Needs a Hug, [ opus 1 ], faith - Freeform, mild hylia bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:13:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21796660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The cold and empty walls feel more like a tomb than a place of worship.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Kudos: 19





	temple of time

**Author's Note:**

> this piece is the beginning of yet another series, this one of unconnected oneshots set to or revolving around music. i hope you enjoy this installment!

Her faith is all she has.

When Zelda is four her mother presses herself onto the prayer altar. Her knees are bent and her hands clasped together. She peers closely, and sees that her mother’s eyes are closed. Her lips move in a quiet prayer.

Zelda curls her knees into her chest. The wooden beams of the pews are cold, especially against the skin of her bare legs. She ignores the feeling. Closing her eyes, Zelda clasps her hands together, in a bare imitation of the position Mother has assumed.

She doesn’t know the words to the prayer, she realises. She will simply have to say a prayer of her own. Is that blasphemous? Perhaps it is against the goddess’ will. Zelda decides that she doesn’t particularly care what a goddess has to say, especially one who is never present.

Instead of the words of her mother, Zelda says, _oh goddess, please relieve me of my duties. I am sincerely bored and do not understand the importance of meetings._

(The Goddess hears her prayer. She hears every prayer, from Her place amongst the clouds, peering down at Her descendants. The _insolence_ of this child infuriates Her. She does not care that it is one of her own, nor that she is but a child. She is a Goddess, and none who defy her can live without the consequences.)

Mother tells her of a hero from the old world. He was only just older than her at the time ─ seven and nine aren’t _that_ big a difference ─ and had wielded the sword and shield of legend. It is said that a shield of the same make resides in the depths beneath the castle where she herself lives. She absorbs the stories like a sponge does water.

And then Mother tells her of her power.

“There was a princess, too, who helped the hero. Her name was Zelda and she had a very special power which the Great Evil sought to steal from her. The Great Evil was cruel and callous, whilst Zelda was kind and cared for her people.”

“Like you, Mother?” Zelda asks.

“No,” says Mother. She smiles, brushing her fingers over Zelda’s cheek. “Like you do. You see, throughout the history of Hyrule, there has always been a princess present who helped the hero to defeat the evil. That duty never befell me, and instead you are the chosen one of legend. My precious daughter…” Mother gently kisses her forehead. “You will be the saving grace of this kingdom.”

Zelda blinks. “But I’m just me.”

Mother tells her that she is herself. She is herself, and she is brave and good and stronger than she could ever expect. “I will teach you of your power,” she tells her. “The morning of your eighth birthday, you will begin your training. I am certain you will do well, my daughter.”

Zelda beams with the praise.

(Mother is dead the week before her birthday. There is no one to teach her, and no advice for how to learn. Mother is dead. Father twists himself into a pose of begging, says, “please. Let her be well.” Is it a prayer? She prays. Just in case.)

The king tells her that she must pray. Prayer is the key to unlocking her powers. Devotion to the goddess is the secret to her strength. The hours of the day slowly fade into each other. She scours book after book after book on rites to save the dead’s souls and stories of the goddess’ intervention.

There is no way for her to know that the goddess is smiling upon her. Will there be a sign of light from the heavens? Will the statues weep tears or the springs glow with Her otherworldly light? She has no way of understanding the ways of the goddess. Zelda doesn’t think she will ever be able to.

_A long time ago the Queen of Hyrule saw the birth of two babes. It was a strange occurrence, because all of the Royal Family’s births were singular, and this was a pair. The Queen of Hyrule looked upon her children, and she saw hope. The Queen looked upon her children, and she saw despair._

_“I will name this child Link,” she said, despite her exhaustion. “For he will vanquish the darkness.” She brushed her thumb over her son’s forehead._

_Turning, she gently handed her son to a nearby maid, taking her daughter into her arms instead. “And I will name this child Zelda, for she will restore to this kingdom the light.”_

_Not two months later the Queen’s son was stolen from her. The court fell into disarray, searching far and wide for any sign of the missing heir. The Queen herself was consumed by grief. She took it upon herself to save her daughter from the same fate, and so the Royal Family vanished from the public eye._

Zelda scoffs. The story cannot be real; it simply does not match up with any written history of the Royal Family, nor does it seem likely to be a work of fiction. Fiction within these walls seems impossible. She shakes her head, and returns to searching for books on locations of prayer.

_The Sacred Temple has long been lost to time. Pilgrimages used to be made to this Temple, with the intent of praying to the spirits of past heroes and the goddess. These pilgrimages are said to have stopped within recent history of the past two hundred years._

_Some groups journey to the Temple of Time as an alternative house of prayer. They report having had somewhat otherworldly experiences within the Temple. One reported feeling ‘pushed out of their skin, as if something else was trying to claim it.’_

This seems plausible, at the very least. She will have to investigate the Temple of Time, eventually. But not yet. Father will not let her leave until she has studied her prayer-books more than anything else. She will not let herself leave until the prayer-books are burnt into her thoughts.

A collective of Sheikah Guards surrounds her, quickly escorting her along the path. They have their directions: to take Zelda to the Great Plateau, and lead her to the Temple of Time. They are to keep her safe from any threat posed to her wellbeing. They are to prevent her from leaving until the prayers have some effect.

Zelda hates it. Her skin itches and crawls. The dirt thrums beneath her horse’s hooves, the quiet somehow undisturbed by the rhythmic thudding. She recites her chosen prayer to herself. The words are quiet and indistinct.

_Oh goddess,_ she thinks to herself. _Illuminate the path of my destiny. Oh goddess, reveal to me my truths and my strengths. I am forever in your debt. My mind and heart and body and soul are yours, my devotion is to naught but yourself._ The Sheikah Guards scale the cliff-like wall easily, four surrounding her and pulling her onto the solid ground.

“Your Highness?” Asks one of the guard. “Are you ready to proceed to the Temple?”

She nods. Assuming the lead, she follows the cracked stone path up and towards the land where the temple lies. She moves almost unconsciously towards it, as if led by some unnatural force. Slowly but surely, the Temple of Time comes into view.

Within its grand walls, it seems… empty. Zelda isn’t quite sure what she expects from it. But this? These empty rooms, bereft of anything but the grand statue of the goddess are not what she had expected to encounter. She tries not to let the idea disturb her.

She drops to her knees. There is no prayer-floor, only the cold, hard stone. Cold seeps into her skin. She clasps her hand and closes her eyes. The words come unbidden. They are not her chosen prayer. “O goddess,” says Zelda. Her voice shakes. “Reveal to me my hidden strengths. Reveal to me the bloodright which I possess. My mind and my heart, my body and my soul are yours. My devotion is to naught but yourself. I only ask for my power in return.”

The goddess does not respond. She never does. Her faith is all she has ─ and yet her faith wavers.

The cold and empty walls feel more like a tomb than a place of worship.

**Author's Note:**

> twitter @phantomhwa


End file.
